The Glow-Worm and Other Beetles 



ter of suicide, such as it has been described 

 to us. When surrounded by a circle of live 

 embers, the animal, so we are told, stabs 

 itself with its sting and finds an end of its 

 torment in voluntary death. This would be 

 very fine on the creature's part if it were 

 true. We shall see. 



In the centre of a ring of burning charcoal, 

 I place the largest specimen from my 

 menagerie. The bellows increase the glow. 

 At the first smart of the heat, the animal 

 moves backwards within the circle of fire. 

 It collides by inadvertence with the burning 

 barrier. Now follows a disorderly retreat, 

 in every direction, at random, renewing the 

 agonizing contact. At each attempt to es- 

 cape, the burning is repeated more severely 

 than before. The animal becomes frantic. 

 It darts forward and scorches itself. In a 

 desperate frenzy, it brandishes its weapon, 

 crooks it, straightens it, lays it down flat and 

 raises it again, all with such disorderly haste 

 that I am quite unable to follow its move- 

 ments accurately. 



The moment ought to have come for the 

 Scorpion to release himself from his torture 

 with a blow of the stiletto. And indeed, with 

 a sudden spasm, the long-suffering creature 

 becomes motionless, lies at full-length, flat 

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